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Joe Cerrell

Managing Director

Joe Cerrell, managing director, Global Policy and Advocacy, is based in the Gates Foundation’s European Office in London. In this role, Joe oversees the foundation's relationships with donor governments in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East. His team seeks to expand the foundation’s partnerships with these governments, but also corporations, foundations and other non-governmental organizations, to support increased global engagement and progress on global health and agriculture. Since joining the foundation in 2001, Joe has held a number of positions, including director for Europe and Middle East and director of Global Health Policy and Advocacy.

Prior to his time at the foundation, he served in a variety of senior roles in government and strategy consulting practices, including positions in the Clinton White House under former Vice President Al Gore and at APCO Worldwide. Joe currently serves on the board of directors for the ONE Campaign and Comic Relief. He received a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Southern California.

Last week Bill and Melinda Gates released their annual letter for 2014. I was excited to see it focus on debunking persistent myths in development aid, and it got me thinking about the myths I’ve encountered working in advocacy, government relations, and
communications at the Gates Foundation for the past decade. One constant refrain about aid that I’ve heard, particularly in more recent years living in Europe, is this: “We have to choose between helping the poor here at home and helping the poor abroad.”

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Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation aspires
to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. We are dedicated to discovering and disseminating
innovative approaches to addressing extreme poverty and poor health in developing countries and improving
the U.S. education system. Because our financial resources, while significant, represent a small fraction
of what’s needed to address these challenges, we work in partnership with governments, the private sector,
and other donors and organizations to achieve the greatest possible impact.
www.gatesfoundation.org